Swimming raft



May 15, 1962 J. C. FREELAND SWIMMING RAFT Filed July 29, 1959 INVENTOR.

a C. Tree 0270 BY a? A TTOR/VEY United States Patent O This invention relates to a swimming or diving raft which may be of substantial size and at the same time is relatively light in weight in which the deck is supported in substantially elevated position relative to the water and at the same time may be readily boarded.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a swimming raft which includes a deck of substantial size and at the same time is relatively light in weight and one in which the deck is substantially spaced from the water and at the same time may be readily boarded.

Second, to provide a swimming or diving raft provided with a boarding ladder disposed so that it does not interfere with the various uses for which the raft is adapted. Objects relating to details and economies of the inven tion' will appear from the description to follow. The

invention is defined and pointed out in the claims. Apreferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a swimming or diving raft embodying my invention, the attaching means for the pontoons being omitted. FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view on a line corresponding to the broken line 33 of FIG. 2.

The embodiment illustrated comprises the deck 1, which is conventionally illustrated in FIG. 1, and supporting pontoons 22 which are arranged in laterally spaced parallel relation to each other, and adjacent but somewhat inwardly offset relative to opposite edges of the deck, as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3.

These pontoons are closed tubular members and of substantial vertical width and of such floating capacity, or supporting capacity, that they support the deck in substantially spaced relation to the surface of water on which the raft is floatingly disposed.

The pontoons have flat parallel side walls and curved bottom walls 3 merging into the side walls. Thus conformed they do not present any sharp edges and it facili tates the manipulation of the raft in and out of the water.

The pontoons are provided with hand holds 4, at least at one end. The deck is provided with a boarding opening 5 dimensioned so that users can conveniently pass therethrough. It desirably has a flat wall 6, an opposed curved wall 7 and parallel side walls or edges 8. The ladder, designated generally by the numeral 9, is disposed through this boarding opening to depend substantially below the deck and includes risers 1!} which project upwardly from the deck and terminate in upwardly curved hand rails 11, the hand rails terminating in laterally supporting posts 12 which are fixedly mounted on the flanges 13. H

In the embodiment illustrated the deck includes a metal top sheet 14 to which the coupling members or flanges 13 may be secured by welding or other suitable means. The boarding opening is provided with a guard rail 15, preferably of U-shape, with its arms terminating in the downwardly directed posts 16 which are provided with anchoring flanges 17 corresponding to the flanges 13 of the post 12. The supporting post 18 is secured to the bight of the guard rail.

The posts 16 are substantially aligned with the front edge of the boarding opening 5 and at the outer side of the upwardly projecting portions of the ladder risers.

, 3,034,155 Patented May 1 5, 1962 2. The risers are of tubular stock and the rungs 19 are also of tubular stock with their ends disposed in abutting relation to the risers and welded thereto. I have not illustrated the welds for these parts as they will be readily understood.

With this arrangement of parts the raft may be very conveniently boarded although the deck is supported in substantially spaced relation to the surface of the water. If desired the ladder and the guard rail may be bolted to the deck so that they may be conveniently removed for shipment or storage.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical commercial embodiment thereof. :1 have not attempted to illustrate and describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired to adapt it to particular conditions.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A swimming raft comprising a deck and supporting pontoons therefor disposed in laterally spaced relation to each other and adjacent opposed edges of the deck and fixedly secured thereto, said pontoons being of such vertical width that the deck is supported in substantially spaced relation to the surface of the water on which the raft is floatingly disposed, said deck having a boarding opening disposed centrally thereof between the pontoons and relative to the ends of the deck, a ladder disposed through said boarding opening and extending below the deck with portions of its risers projecting upwardly above the deck and terminating in parallel curved hand rails extending outwardly relative to the boarding opening, the hand rails terminating in downwardly projecting ladder supporting posts fixedly secured to the deck, the boarding opening having a straight forward edge with which the ladder risers are'supportedly engaged, and a U-shaped guard rail for said deck opening, the arms of which curvedly merge into downwardly projecting supporting posts fixedly secured to the deck in approximately aligned relation to the risers of the ladder, said guard rail having a third post fixedly secured thereto centrally of its bight portion and fixedly secured to the deck.

2. A swimming raft comprising a deck and supporting pontoons therefor disposed in laterally spaced relation to each other and adjacent opposed edges of the deck and fixedly secured thereto, said pontoons being of such vertical width that the deck is supported in substantially spaced relation to the'surface of the water on which the raft is floatingly disposed, said deck having a boarding opening disposed centrally thereof between the pontoons and relative to the ends of the deck, a ladder disposed through said boarding opening and extending below the deck with portions of its risers projecting upwardly above the deck and terminating in parallel hand rails extending outwardly relative to the boarding opening, the hand rails terminating in downwardly projecting ladder supporting posts fixedly secured to the deck, and a U-shaped guard rail for said deck opening, the arms of which merge into downwardly projecting supporting posts fixedly secured-to the deck, said guard rail having a third post fixedly secured thereto central of its bight portion and fixedly secured to the deck.

3. A swimming raft comprising a deck and supporting pontoons therefor disposed in laterally spaced relation to each other and adjacent opposed edges of the deck and fixedly secured thereto, said pontoons being of such vertical width that the deck is supported in substantially spaced relation to the surface of the water on which the raft is floatingly disposed, said deck having a boarding opening therein between thepontoons and substantially centrally relative to the ends of the deck, ailadderdisposed through said boarding, opening independing relation to the deck with portions of its risers in thrust supported engagement with one edge of said deckopening and projecting upwardly above the deck and terminating in parallel hand rails extending outwardly relative to the V boarding opening in the deck, the. hand rails terminating in downwardly "projecting ladder supporting posts fixedly secured to the; deck, and a U-shaped guard rail for said deck opening, the arms of which merge into downwardly projecting supporting posts fixedly secured to the deck.

' 4. A swimming raft comprising a deck and supporting pontoons therefor disposed in laterally spaced relation to each other and adjacent opposed edges of the deck and fixedly secured thereto, said pontoons being of such vertical width that the deck is supported in substantially spaced relation to the surface of the Water'on which the I raft is floatingly disposed, said deck having a boarding opening therein between the pontoons and substantially centrally relative to the ends of the deck, a ladder disposed through. said boarding opening in depending relation to the deck with portions of its risers in thrust supported engagement with one edge of said deck opening and projecting upwardly above the deck and terminating in parallel hand rails extending outwardly relative to the boarding opening in the deck, the-hand rails terminating in downwardly projecting ladder supporting posts fixedly secured to the deck.

5. A swimming raft comprising a deck and supporting pontoons therefor-disposed in laterally spaced relation to each other and fixedly secured to the deck, said pon toons being of suchwertical width that the deck is sup ported in substantially spaced relation to the surface of the water on whichthe raft is floatingly disposed, said deck having a boarding opening therein between the pontoons and substantially centrally relative to the ends of the deck, and a ladder disposed through said boarding opening and extending below the deck with portions of its risers projecting upwardly above the deck and terminating in parallel curved hand rails extending outwardly .relative to the boarding opening, the hand rails terminating in downwardly projecting ladder supporting posts fixedly secured to the deck.

6. A swimming raft comprising a deck and supporting ontoons therefor disposed inlaterally spaced relation to each other and fixedlyse'cured to the deck, said pontoons being of such vertical width that the deck is supported in'su-bstantially spaced relation to the surface of the water on which the raft is floatingly disposed, said pontoons having hand holds on one end thereof facilitating manual manipulation of the raft on the water, said deck having a boarding opening therein between the pontoons and substantially centrally relative to the ends of the deck, and a ladder disposed through said boarding opening and supportedly secured to the deck and extending below the deck with portions of its risers projecting upwardly above the deck-and constituting hand rails.

7. A swimming raft comprising a deck and supporting 'pontoons therefor disposed in laterally spaced relation to each other and fixedly secured to the deck, said pontoons being of such vertical width that the deck is supported in substantially spaced relation to the surface of the water on which the raft is floatingly disposed, said deck having a boarding opening therein between the pontoons and substantially spaced from both ends of the deck, and a ladder disposed through said boarding opening and su'pportedly securedto the deck and extendingbelow the deck with portions of its risers projecting up- ,w-ardly above the deck and constituting hand rails.

France Sept. 28, 1959 

